Intentional Leadership, the unique Power

Her Excellency, the 4th First Lady of Kenya, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta 2013 launched the Beyond Zero initiative to eliminate/minimize maternal and child mortality and HIV/AIDs.In her words, she says, “No woman should die while giving life.”

Through the Beyond Zero Marathon, all 47 counties of Kenya received fully kitted medical mobile clinics. She also received collaboration and partnership from the private sector, international organizations, and media, all meant to grow the Beyond Zero program. She has always intended to amplify health challenges faced by women and children, especially in marginalized communities, who are disadvantaged by underdevelopment in their areas, yet struggle with financial stability.

In her reign, women’s health was her greatest concern, as she also helped to ensure that Fistula screening was made accessible for almost everyone who hardly had the finances to afford it on a normal day. Her leadership is a legacy on its own, as even after her term as the first lady, the initiative is still on ensuring that good medical health, especially for women in marginalized areas, becomes a reality. Her work is a work in progress. Through her initiative, women smiled again, and hope was restored. Childbirth and maternal death went down, and HIV/AIDs patients got the counseling required, and medical attention, especially the pregnant mothers, to ensure that childbirth infections are minimized. With her, it is clear that everything is possible, you just have to be intentional about it and work towards it, the help will come through, and the dream will be visualized, just start.

Another intentional leader who is becoming the pride of women is the current president of Burkina Faso, His Excellency Captain Ibrahim Traore. I quote,” Free Childbirth for all mothers in Burkina Faso, I declare a new era of hope and compassion in our nation. Childbirth is a miracle, and no woman should face financial burdens while bringing life into the world.”That is huge for the women of Burkina Faso because his declaration of free maternity cover in all public hospitals will by far restore the dignity of women, and lives will be saved. Negligence and lack of proper attention are always taking the lives of women during childbirth, especially those struggling financially, but in his reign, those deaths will come to an end with the scrapping of maternity fees. Proper childbirth will be possible for women who gave birth at home since they couldn’t afford the money to use the hospitals initially. Pregnancy comes with a lot of sacrifices, and threatening the mother’s life for lack of finances should be the least on the list.

Leadership is with grace and humanity in it, knowing that your subjects are your greatest responsibility, and their needs should be addressed to the latter. If you fail your subjects repeatedly, it is more of killing the stability of tomorrow. If all the countries prioritize maternal health, the population of tomorrow will not be much threatened, but if neglected, it is at risk. The subjects are not your enemies; listen to them, act on their needs, and let your leadership be exemplary so that they will be able to refer to your ruling in the event someone tries to humiliate them or brush off their needs.

In the case of my country, Kenya, they are still advocating(by signing petitions and previous demonstrations) for the reinstatement of Linda Mama, which was functional in the previous government. It became non-functional from the ongoing changes in the medical sector, whereby the initial medical cover wanted to be changed to something else. The medical sector of any country is crucial, and it is not something to make a change overnight, especially when you mean a complete change and not just improvement. Health is wealth, and when you suffocate health, it is more of killing the future slowly. Power is lifting the smallest of details and making them mighty to ensure that those under your power don’t suffer further from it. Lead with your heart and mind, and not just mind because with the latter, you can be ruthless and hurt humanity while at it. A good leader knows that when difficulty proves stubborn don't add to the struggle.